Advising Dr. Oetker group on its purchase of Alsa

We have advised multinational baking and cookery business, Dr. Oetker, on its purchase of the Alsa baking and dessert business from Unilever.

The deal has completed for an undisclosed sum, following French Competition Authority approval, and sees Dr. Oetker further expand its current brand offering, including the purchase of the Alsa manufacturing unit in Ludres, France.

A Gateley team led by Leeds Corporate partner Sandip Khroud and Consultant Mark Green, Commercial partner Paul de Vince and Tax partner, James Gopsill, with support from senior associate Mailin Bala and solicitors Charlotte Mason and Rebecca Bennett, has been working on the deal for the past year. French law support was provided by a team from Paris law-firm Wenners, headed up by Mr Jens Förderer.

Didier Muller, General Manager for Dr. Oetker in France said: “Alsa is a brand whose know-how and product quality perfectly complement our product range. Our goal is to pursue the brand’s growth and development both in France and internationally, based on its know-how and innovation capabilities. We were very grateful for the professional support given by the Gateleys team on this important acquisition.”

Sandip Khroud, partner at Gateley Plc, commented: “We were pleased to advise on this purchase for Dr. Oetker, which is complementary to the company’s core baking business activity.”

“This deal will further add to the company’s ongoing international expansion of the Dr. Oetker group, which is already a widely respected household name.  We worked with multiple teams within the Gateley network, including corporate, commercial and tax to deliver this large-scale deal, with excellent support given by.”